December 2016

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) Board of Trustees reaffirmed the accreditation of The University of Southern Mississippi (USM), during its annual meeting in Atlanta, Dec. 3-6, 2016.

SACSCOC is the acknowledged accrediting body for degree-granting institutions (public, private for-profit and private not-for-profit) in the southeastern United States and is recognized by the United States Department of Education to conduct accreditation activities. SACSCOC, through a peer review process, conducts a comprehensive review of its nearly 800 member institutions every 10 years.

Economic trends and forecasts will take center stage during the Economic Outlook 2017 Forum hosted by The University of Southern Mississippi at two different venues this year -- the Gulf Park campus in Long Beach on Thursday, Jan. 12 and the Hattiesburg campus on Thursday, Feb. 2.

Victoria Brodbeck, a banking and finance major in the College of Business at The University of Southern Mississippi, has been awarded the 2016 Mississippi Young Bankers (MYB) Leadership Scholarship. She is the fifth USM student to win the $2,000 scholarship in the past six years.

The University of Southern Mississippi has been recognized by Affordable College Online as one of the Best Online Master’s Degrees for 2016. Southern Miss earned the sixth position on the list among thousands of U.S. colleges with online master’s degree options.

Alicia Williams recently travelled from Kentwood, La. to The University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg along with her mom, Linda Wright, who came from Cushing, Okla. Both women made the trip for Alicia’s graduation from the fully online master’s degree program in medical laboratory science at Southern Miss.

Following high school, some young adults go to college, while an equal number go to work. Other young people, particularly those with disabilities or who are racially and economically diverse, may not find their path to adulthood so easily.

Now with their degree in hand, graduates of The University of Southern Mississippi should take the next steps using what they’ve learned to secure successful careers or advance their education through professional and graduate degree programs.

The National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4) will hold the 4th annual National Intercollegiate Athletics Safety and Security Summit Jan. 24-26 at The University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg. More than 40 universities from across the country will be in attendance for this important event.

The University of Southern Mississippi plans to obtain an existing hatchery and aquaculture facility that will allow the University to lead oyster restoration efforts in an effort to boost the state of Mississippi’s oyster population and grow the state’s Blue Economy.

In a project proposed by Governor Phil Bryant, the state of Mississippi will provide $7.7 million in funding from requested BP settlement dollars for USM to acquire the Aqua Green hatchery facility located in Perkinston, Miss.

Richard Saniga, a retired professor from the University of Southern Mississippi’s Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, died Dec. 7. He was 71. A private graveside service was held prior to his interment in Prairie Cemetery in Harrisville, Pa.